Jenny and Julian: The Forbidden Dream
by moonricecake
Summary: Jenny once again returns to her nightmare.
1. Chapter 1

Jenny and Julian: the Forbidden Dream

Jenny slammed her bedroom door behind her, her eyes filled with tears. Tom could be so frustrating. She flung herself on her bed and buried her face in her pillow. They were always fighting now, and always about trivial matters. Today it was something Jenny had said about another boy, a new friend of Summer's. Tom had somehow decided that Jenny was interested in him, and started with the accusations.

_How could he be so stupid? _She thought to herself, still buried in her pillow. _He knows my heart belongs to him._

Her heart belongs to him.

She rolled the thought around in her head for a minute, as if to challenge it. Did her heart belong to Tom? She closed her eyes and breathed deeply and slowly.

_No, Jenny, don't go there…_

But it was too late. She already had. Their constant fights, Tom's jealousy and insecurities, all started about two months ago. Right after…

_Julian._ She said his name in her head and it sent a shiver down through her body. There wasn't a day where she didn't think about him. Julian, the Shadow Man, the Prince of Darkness. Julian, who had watched her in the shadows since she was five. Julian, who had kidnapped her and all her friends and forced them to play a dangerous game with their lives.

Julian, who was completely and deathly in love with Jenny.

She tried not to go back to that day. Tried not to recall what he had done for her. Tried not to imagine him. His impossibly beautiful features. His power. His touch.

She tried not to recall their time together, but she did every day since his sacrifice for her. Since he gave himself up to the Shadow Men, since her ring changed to _I am my only Master_, he haunted her thoughts. He decorated her thoughts. He was in everything she saw or imagined.

Maybe, just maybe, that was why she and Tom were having issues.

Jenny exhaled and rolled onto her back and stared at her ceiling. She would be attending college soon, and didn't need to be wrapped up in thoughts about things most people wouldn't even begin to believe in. Only her friends knew what was going on with her. There was no use in telling her parents; she didn't want to be committed into a psych ward the summer of her senior year.

Audrey had even confronted her about it a while ago. "Jenny, you've changed," she had said.

There was nothing Jenny could do but laugh. "We've all changed, Aubrey."

Audrey's look was completely serious. "No, Jenny…I mean, we've all changed from it, yeah, but you…you're almost a completely different person since before all this. Its like…he woke something up inside you…or… when he died…" she stopped when Jenny flinched. "He put a part of himself in you."

Jenny smiled sadly, because she knew exactly what Audrey was trying to say. Sweet, simple Jenny, turned into a wild, free spirit. Almost like she carried a part of Julian with her.

She was beautiful and dangerous, and there was nothing Tom could do about it.

That night, before Jenny went to bed, lost in thoughts of Julian, she walked over to her dresser and opened her jewelry box. She lifted the little velvet compartment that held most of her jewelry and removed it. Then she pulled out a little white box, tinier than her palm, and lifted the lid.

There, simple and shiny as ever, sat her ring. _I am my only Master._ At one time it had read _All I Refuse and Thee I Chuse,_ when Julian had tried to say that she belonged to him. Technically, if Jenny really wanted to think about it, she still did belong to him. She had made that promise at the haunted house their deadly game was in. She had said the words while Julian slipped the gold poesy ring on her finger, and they had sealed their promise with a kiss.

Jenny shivered again. His kisses, fire and ice, hot and cold, passionate and furious. Her breathing quickened. His kisses were unlike anything Tom had ever given her. They stirred her heart and soul, they mesmerized her. She lost herself in them, was put into a sick trance. They pulled her somewhere dark and deep and she loved every minute of them.

She held the ring delicately in her hand for one more moment, then slipped it on her ring finger and climbed into bed.

Jenny awoke in the middle of the night with a start. Something was burning, something sweet and spicy. It filled her nostrils and made her dizzy in her dreamlike state. A dim light was forcing itself through the barriers of her eyelids. She forced her eyes open. The scent grew stronger, and at once Jenny realized she wasn't in her bed. No, this bed was bigger, softer…and the covers had a dark Victorian pattern. The walls around her were also dark, and the sweet smell that Jenny had awoken to was of candles, black candles, burning in candleholders hanging from the wall. The room was small, as small as Jenny's room, and the only thing in it was the bed, and a dark wood paneled door at the wall farthest from her.

She was awake at once. She knew these walls, recognized the décor. In all of her two months away from him she hadn't dreamed of this place once. She hadn't dreamt of the paper house. She hadn't dared let herself go back here, even if only in her mind.

A few months ago, old Jenny would have been afraid. Mild, timid Jenny would have realized she was dreaming and kept herself hidden under the covers until she forced herself awake. Shy, sweet Jenny would have been terrified and confused wearing a ring she couldn't take off her finger and donning a silk nightgown she didn't even feel comfortable with Tom seeing.

But this Jenny, the Jenny who had been through Hell and back, understood. She knew why she was here, and who she had to find. And she accepted that completely.

She flung the covers off her and walked slowly to the door. She put her hand on the old brass knob and turned it carefully, till she heard it click. She pulled open the door about a foot and peered her head out through the opening. All she could see was hallway, with the same lush carpet and wallpaper design as the room she awoke in. Oh yes, she knew exactly who was waiting for her. The last bit of fear left her as she flung the door open completely and stepped into the hallway.

"Julian?" she called softly, barely loud enough even for herself to hear. She could feel her pulse inside her ears, but it was an energy rush. She took a left at the hallway, letting her feet and enthusiasm lead her. If this was a dream, it was her dream, and she could do whatever she wanted in it.

_I am my Only Master._ She remembered the words that were newly engraved on her promise ring. She was in total control of this dream, and if she wanted to find him, she would.. She didn't dare to think that maybe Julian was toying with her; that he wanted her to accidentally stumble into him_._ She wouldn't even consider the possibility of herself being lost. Jenny shivered.

Cat and mouse, goats and tigers.

_No! It's not like that anymore…_she continued wandering down the hallway. Was it like that anymore? Was this just proof that he would always continue hunting her, even in death? But wasn't this her dream, didn't she create this, not him? Her mind started spinning. _The ring _does_ say "I am My Only Master"…_ She knew if she turned around she wouldn't even see the door she went through anymore, just more endless hallway. She kept on walking, forcing herself to stay sane, and not wake up. If she woke up now she was afraid the next time she returned here she would lose all her strength and courage.

The hallway seemed to go on for hours, when really it was just a few minutes. She was growing impatient as she started quickly walking, almost running down the hallway. "Julian!" she called loudly. She was surprised to hear how much passion was in her voice. Where was he?!

"Julian!" she called more frantically. The hallway was endless, the same exact pattern, same darkness up ahead. How long could this go on? She broke into a run, desperate to find the end to this never-ending corridor. There were too many bad memories here, too many stolen kisses, too many screams…

_Julian!! Julian!!_ She heard her own voice in her head, but nothing would come out of her mouth, which frightened her to no end and destroyed every bit of confidence she had. This was NOT her territory, and it never would be. _JULIAN!_

It wasn't until she tripped over nothing, felt herself falling, that she remembered it was only a dream.

She awoke drenched in sweat and gasping. She could see her clock on the other side of the room, reading 3:33 in bright red numbers. She sighed and rolled over, then jumped when something cool and hard touched her cheek. She reached out into the darkness, and grabbed at something small and metallic. She clutched it and ran for the bathroom, not caring that her actions were impulsive.

She turned on the light to her bathroom and sucked in her breath when she saw what was in her hand. The rose, wrought out of silver, created delicately until the very last detail. The rose that Julian had given her when he was dressed as the Erlking, and the rose she received again when he visited her in one of her dreams a while ago. She hadn't noticed where it had disappeared to the last time she had it, but now that it was here…

She gasped again when she saw herself in the mirror. Her hair was disheveled and stuck out in random places. Despite it being the middle of the night, her eyes were wide open, with a red rim around them. Her mouth was slightly parted in shock. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she knew Julian would find this sexy. She was quite wild at the moment.

She glanced at the beautiful flower in the mirror. She watched herself hold it and caress it. She saw herself gently stroking the silver rose, her fingers lightly petting the beautiful petals. She saw herself bring the rose to her lips, stroked it slowly across her face, down her neck, across her collarbone…

She stopped abruptly. What was she doing? She knew exactly what happened last time, how Julian had tricked her into letting him touch her. Everywhere the rose touched he touched her. Her breathing grew hard and, despite everything her mind was screaming at her, she continued lightly running the flower on her neck and face. Everything was so confusing at the moment, and the blossom was so cool and light to the touch.

_Get a hold of yourself!_ An inner voice snapped. Jenny took once last glance into the mirror and froze. It wasn't possible, but…she was still wearing the delicate nightgown from her dream. At this realization, she dropped the rose in horror and raced back to her bedroom, refusing to let it fully sink in that she was still dreaming. If she went back to bed (or woke up,) before she realized it was a dream, then nothing horrific could happen.

The rose clattered to the floor as Jenny sprinted out of the bathroom and ran into cold, hard hands that gripped her tight. In the darkness, she couldn't even make out the face of her captor as she let out her bloodcurdling scream. She wasn't even sure if she had made it to her bedroom before a cool hand clamped over her mouth and she felt herself falling, deeper and deeper into the darkness…

_Julian's back…_was her last thought.


	2. Chapter 2

Before opening her eyes Jenny tried to recognize what was going on. She felt herself wake into consciousness, and tried to feel if she was in her bed. Nope, definitely not; she was in someone's arms. Tom? She tried to remain completely still, but whoever was holding her had noticed her stir into consciousness.

"Jenny, open your eyes," a male voice commanded. Jenny froze. It was not Tom. The voice was lyrical, as smooth as velvet, and it spread panic through her veins. No one she knew had a voice that…supernatural. The way it glided, so perfectly, as if its lines and tone were rehearsed numerous times. Jenny had only heard a voice resembling that once, and it belonged to Julian. But this voice was definitely not Julian's. No, this voice had a deeper, baritone quality. Jenny stiffened in the arms that held her.

"Jenny." The voice was growing impatient. "Now."

She forced her eyes open and gasped in horror. Piercing gold eyes shined into hers. An impossible gold, the gold every girl wished their jewelry could shine as bright as. There was a face looking over her, an exquisite face, every angle and contour carved so perfectly it was inhuman. Jenny immediately realized the danger she was in. This was definitely not Julian, but the boy was gorgeous enough to be. She was in the arms of another Shadow Man.

Her muscles tightened and her breath caught. The stranger smiled at her reaction, perfect white teeth shining. From what Jenny could make out from behind his face she was back in a room in the paper house, walls papered vintage and authentic. She didn't dare try to move, she was wrapped in his arms tightly and knew his grip would be impossible to try and fight. She sensed pure evil from her captive and it was all she could to not claw and fight her way from his arms. The intimacy of their situation disturbed her.

The boy chuckled, beautiful music. To Jenny he appeared no more than nineteen, but she figured he was at least hundreds of years old. "How rude of me. You're in my arms, and we haven't even become acquaintances."

Oh, that same politeness. Only this time it hinted of sarcasm. It sent a wave of nausea through Jenny.

"My name is Caden." As he spoke, she studied his features. Beautiful black hair fell just below his eyes and above his shoulders. He was dressed in all black, a silk long-sleeved shirt and pants. His face was beautiful, with defined cheekbones, light gold eyes, and full lips. He looked like an angel, yet Jenny knew better. If anything, she was in the arms of a demon. And the way he kept looking at her…he was half smiling, and his eyes smoldered into hers. She felt like he knew something she didn't know.

"And you…" his grip tightened on hers, and once again she was aware of how close their faces were, and how helpless she was. "You are the infamous Jenny Thorton. Yes, my dear, we _all_ know about you." She hated the way he emphasized _all, _because she knew exactly who he was referring to. The other Shadow Men had known about Jenny ever since Julian first laid eyes on her at five. They also all knew that he had sacrificed his existence for her, when it was her life they really wanted.

He lowered his face closer to hers, and Jenny flinched. "Beautiful Jenny…" his smile grew dark and Jenny tried to move her face away from him, but she was powerless in his grip. She tried not to gaze back into his golden eyes, but she became transfixed. They were hypnotic, and if she stared at them long enough, she could get lost in them like she used to with Julian's. He was looking at her like she was a defenseless animal, but she didn't care. Those eyes…

Caden gripped her hand and it brought her back to reality. She gasped and, to her embarrassment, blushed as he ran his finger over her ring. "I'm actually quite surprised about _this_, though…this could make for something interesting later. Screaming his name in the hallway? You would think he would be the last person you'd want to see."

Jenny found words, and with a violent thrust, jerked herself out of his arms. She landed on the plush carpet with a _thud,_ and quickly scrambled to her feet to face him. "What?"

"And that rose, too, it's very surprising that you miss him _that_ much." He didn't even seem to mind Jenny's escape. His eyes gleamed.

As Jenny gained full awareness of her surroundings, fury flashed through her. "What do you want with me?" she demanded, too disgusted to be shy anymore.

"Far more than you can comprehend," Caden's tone was instantly serious and his smile faded. Jenny was taken aback, yet she still tilted up her head to face him. _I've dealt with one before, I can deal with another,_ she thought. Suddenly the realization came to her that this should all be a dream. She was still wearing the nightgown that she did not go to bed with originally. Relief and excitement washed over as she realized she could easily have the upper hand in this situation. To test herself, Jenny dug her nails into her palms and bit down on her lip. Both hurt. Very badly. Jenny continued stubbornly until she could taste blood. Maybe this wasn't a dream.

As if to confirm her fears, Caden yanked his arm out to Jenny and wrapped it around her wrist. He pulled her towards him, so close their faces were almost touching. With his other hand he cupped her chin fiercely and forced her to look up at him. Jenny had been in a room with Caden for less than five minutes, yet already she could tell his mood changes were more violent and unpredictable than Julian's. Julian had never grabbed her that roughly, and once again their unwanted intimacy made her shudder.

He tilted his face towards her ear. His breath was cold and it made Jenny jump. "You're not dreaming, my dear. And, before you rudely interrupted me, I believe I was introducing myself. Will you let me finish?" He jerked his face back to meet hers. Jenny felt a cold chill through her spine. She was dealing with someone much more unstable than Julian, and she was not used to this kind of abuse. She nodded slowly, carefully planning her next reactions.

Caden smiled again, and Jenny wasn't sure how she was going to keep up with his sudden emotional changes. Jenny wasn't even sure how she was going to survive this new environment, but she wouldn't let herself think too deeply on that right now, for fear of a breakdown. She was going to take everything that happened in the next few minutes exactly as they happened, and not panic about what was to come. Or so she hoped.

"As you may have guessed, lovely Jenny, I am a Shadow Man, just like your beloved," Jenny blinked, but waited for him to continue. "Unfortunately for you, I'm not stupidly in love with you. In fact, I really don't comprehend how he could have…" The hand on her chin released and trailed lightly across her cheek, sending shivers across her face. Jenny refused to give in and let him see any kind of reaction. "I mean, please don't take any offense my dear, you're strikingly pretty for a _human_…" Jenny wondered if he was trying to bait her, but continued to remain stoic. His fingers, light and soft, began to trace the outline of her lips, and Jenny quietly exhaled. _He's so beautiful,_ she thought, as Caden's bangs fell into his eyes, making him appear even more mysterious. _And he's so dangerous. Oh my God, he has to stop…_

"Yet I still don't quite understand." His fingertips stopped tracing. "To give himself up for _you,_ a human? To willingly choose to be carved out of the runestave just so that you could go on living a pathetic mortal life?" Caden looked thoughtful for a moment as if he was asking himself, and then turned back to Jenny. "Oh well. It was his mistake. And so much more fun for us." His mouth stretched into that crooked smile again, and Jenny could taste the blood from her lip. What did this have to do with anything? Julian was gone.

"I don't understand," Jenny said, sounding surprisingly calmer than she felt. "What does it matter now?" Something was building up inside her, a conclusion she didn't want to face. "Everything is done, I won his games, there's no more…"

"Oh, Jenny, this isn't about his games," Caden was amused, and his eyes lit up as he stared into hers. The realization was coming quickly to Jenny, the sudden horror of what to come was building up inside her, but she refused to acknowledge it. "This is about _my_ game."

"What?!" Jenny nearly shrieked; all efforts to remain calm and not test this Shadow Man's patience were gone. "I have nothing to do with you! I don't even know who you are…what could you possibly want with me?" She dumbly realized that he was still gripping her wrist.

"I realize I may seem melodramatic, Jenny, but there's something I don't think you realize. You were supposed to be OURS." Caden pulled Jenny closer with her wrist, and their faces were nearly touching. He spat his words out in fury. "This has _everything_ to do with you, and _everything _to do with Julian."

She was becoming unraveled; this was becoming too real, all at once. Never, ever again would she do another game; never put herself in that type of emotional and physical turmoil, ever again. Her pain was spilling over. "Julian is gone!" she shouted in Caden's face. His golden eyes looked amused. "This is a pathetic attempt at revenge, and I don't care! And there is no way I am getting involved with another game!"

The slap was so fast that it took a second for Jenny to realize what had knocked her to the floor. Fire was across her left cheek, and tears involuntarily welled up in her eyes and spilled down her face. She looked up at Caden in shock, stunned. Julian had never hit her, regardless of how much she had angered him. At once, Jenny realized she was dealing with someone that possessed an infinite amount more danger towards her. It was obvious that she meant nothing to Caden, and it was possible he would physically torture to the point of near death, but keep her alive just to play his "game," or whatever it was he wanted to do with her.

"I'm so sorry Jenny, but bitches need to be hit when they misbehave," Caden emphasized the insult and looked down at her and smirked. Jenny just stared up at him, her face to her cheek, her mind filled with growing shock and fury. "Hopefully you learn quickly. I believe Julian once told you he was the nicest Shadow Man, and I can't stress enough how completely true that was. Next time, I won't be so considerate of your well-being. Besides, we Shadow Men know far better ways to hurt women."

Jenny just sat there, stunned and caressing her cheek. She couldn't believe how powerful the slap was. There was no more pain, only shame. Her cheek was numb. Slowly, she stood up while Caden patiently watched. He looked completely unfazed, as if he didn't just lash out in fury at her. Jenny understood that she needed a whole different course of action when dealing with Caden. Getting angry with him would not benefit her at all, and acting even the least bit hostile could turn catastrophic. Immediately she decided that she would participate in whatever game he had planned, hopefully letting him believe her to be obedient and afraid, when all the while she was looking for open opportunities to deceive him. That was the best she could do at the moment.

She closed her eyes and took a slow deep breath, letting the last tears spill out. Then she opened her eyes and looked at Caden. He was smiling again. Jenny felt sick, but forced herself to sound calm. "Okay. What do I need to do?"

Caden chuckled, and tilted his head, as if Jenny was an adorable child. "That's it? That's all the fight Julian's vivacious Jenny is going to put up?" He laughed harder. His voice was absolutely lovely, but Jenny felt it radiated evil. "Well, what's the fun in that? I was hoping I could throw you around a little more. Make you all nice and bloody for your boyfriend."

Jenny's eyes grew wide. No, no, no. They could not be involved again. No. No. No.

"Caden," she whispered, and he stared at her. "Please, don't involve Tom, or any of the others. I'll do whatever you want, whatever needs to be done, just please, not them."

For just a moment, his golden eyes were perplexed, and when his charcoal bangs shadowed his face he looked very young. Then the look disappeared and he was amused again. He shook his head, grinning. "Jenny, Jenny, Jenny," he laughed, then lightly took Jenny's hand again to draw him towards her. His fingertips were soft and cool but strong, and Jenny cringed at their contact. She wondered why he could touch her without her permission. He tilted his face down to hers. "This has nothing to do with your pathetic friends at all, love. This solely has to do with you and Julian."

She relaxed a little, and once again, Caden was caught off guard. He twisted his face up into disgust, and for a moment, Jenny thought he was going to strike her again and she twisted into a subtle defensive stance that Dee had once taught her. Instead he just started yelling.

"I don't UNDERSTAND! What is it with you HUMANS!" His golden eyes burned in fury, and Jenny saw how beautiful it was, like the summer sun striking gold. "All of you are supposed disgusting and selfish, yet a girl like you can be happier to give up your life than have your friends suffer. I don't understand."

Jenny felt her eyes burn into his. "I'd die for them in an instant, and I'm just happy they're not involved."

Caden was shaking his head in disbelief at her. "Your nobility is as sickening as your boyfriend's. It will get you nowhere, only trapped in a hellhole. You know what I'm talking about; I'm sure he's explained it to you. A lifetime of shadows, the darkness swallowing you up…the places children disappear into…of course, I must be sounding horrifically melodramatic again. Even crazy. But I think you like crazy, Jenny. You like this damaged world that Julian showed you."

Jenny closed her eyes. She knew exactly what Caden was talking about. How many times had Julian tried to explain to her what he knew? Instead, she said the only logical thing her mind could argue: "Julian's not my boyfriend."

Caden raised one perfectly arched eyebrow. "You can keep deluding yourself with that idea, but everyone and everything else seems to think otherwise. That's why we're going to have so much fun. How much do you know about runestaves, Jenny?"

_Everyone else? _Jenny bit her lip. "Enough."

Once again, Jenny received that cold smile. She was amazed at how he could turn on a sickeningly dazzling smile and still be extremely frightening. "Try to be more specific, please. As much as I enjoy your company I don't plan on keeping us here forever. Besides, I haven't even told you the exciting part. So once again, dear, how much do you know about runestaves?" His voice had dropped to a low whisper. Jenny swallowed.

"I know that Julian was carved out of his, and now he doesn't exist."

Caden's eyes widened and he clapped in delight, something Jenny thought to be out of character to all his previous actions. She decided she would not be able to figure him out at this moment, just keep observing him and try not to anger him. Was eccentric the appropriate word, or was this normal Shadow Man behavior? Perhaps Julian had been the eccentric one. "Brilliant!" Caden exclaimed. "You _are_ good for something. Well, _Jenny_," he emphasized her name as if she were a delicacy, and she grew tense again. "I have a surprise for you. But rather than telling you, I would like to show you. But, being the smart girl you are, I'm sure you can figure it out and ruin the surprise, but, all the same, I'd still like to show you. Would you let me do that?"

Jenny knew it wasn't a question, and she also knew she couldn't just absorb what this demon had said. She couldn't even start to believe in the idea that…"Do I really have a choice?" she said quietly.

Caden beamed. "No, love, I'm afraid you don't."

She exhaled and absorbed the room around her. The spicy scent of the candles still lingered in the air, and the room was dimly lit, yet she could see Caden perfectly. He was almost luminescent against the darkness, like a ghost or angel. Jenny dully noted the irony. Everything in the room seemed to revolve around him, as if everything was drawn to his mere presence. Jenny decided this was an effect all Shadow Men must have. She didn't even register that they were in the bedroom she "woke up" in until at that moment. Every minute that passed by with Caden Jenny felt more and more awkward, as if something unpredictable would happen. Everything about the atmosphere with him was…sexy. And she didn't like it.

If there was any type of physical tension between the two, Caden didn't seem to notice or care. He had had no problem with touching Jenny, and just for a moment when he was caressing her lips Jenny felt a shiver. Yet she knew this demon, this evil being saw her as just an object, a piece of meat he would use for his revenge, whatever his idea of revenge was. _Shadow men don't feel passion…_she tried to remind herself. Yet didn't he just threaten her sexually? "_We Shadow Men know far better ways to hurt women?"_ What could that possibly mean? She knew what anyone would assume it to mean, but coming from a Shadow Man? Or did that just prove they were evil? Was Julian the only exception? What—

Her thoughts were interrupted by blackness, then nothing.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_ A dream. It was just another dream._

This time when Jenny awoke, it was in her bed, in her pajamas, and in her reality. Her eyes blinked open, and she just stared at her bedroom ceiling, hot tingles slowly creeping up her body.

Nothing was over. Nothing was forgotten. Nothing had changed.

She was still prey.

"Oh my God," she whispered to nothing.

The next few days went buy in a dull blur. She purposely avoided Tom's phone calls, and talked in as little syllables as possible to everyone else. The words from her mouth were robotic. She was on complete autopilot, her mind somewhere else.

_Julian is gone, Julian is gone..._the words repeated over and over in her head. Until that dream of Caden, part of her was holding onto the idea that he would still protect her, still watch her. He had done it for so long that she had grown accustomed to constantly feeling someone watching. Maybe in the past months, she had been in such denial of his absence that it took a nightmare to snap her out of it.

So many realizations were hitting her at once. Not only was she _not_ protected anymore, Julian was never truly evil to her. He only did what he knew how to do. Compared to Caden, Julian looked like a saint.

Now he was gone, and she was faced with something far darker than she knew existed.

She could hear Julian's words in her head. "Your world is an evil place, Jenny," he had once murmured in her ear. "You may think I'm horrible, but there are things I have seen that I wish you never will. Just think on that." The lips against her ear had started to make their way down her neck. In the dark, she closed her eyes and had relaxed against his chest, the warmth of his body calming her shivers. "Next time you sleep...next time you have a nightmare..." his teeth nipped a sensitive spot, and she yelped-"be thankful its only me you're dreaming of, and not my brothers."

And now she was dreaming of Caden.

The dreams following their encounter were filled with dark hallways, empty rooms, and his voice, whispering over in her ears _"There are better ways to hurt a woman..." "Don't you wish he was here now...you killed him Jennifer..."_

Yet she hadn't seen Caden again, only heard his voice. She wondered how long she could deal with these nightmares before she broke.

About a week after her first dream there was a knock at her front door. Jenny peeked through the peephole, then opened the door to welcome her friend.

"Hi, Dee," Jenny said, feigning a smile.

Dee did not return it. "We need to talk. Now." She stormed inside her house and glared at Jenny, her arms crossed. Her hair had grown out in the past months, and her eyes were darker, almost haunted. Her temper had increased, and she was quick to snap. Julian had affected everyone.

Jenny swallowed. "What's wrong? Is everything okay? I'm sorry we haven't hung out in a while, I've just been busy and-"

"What the hell is going on with you?!" Dee fumed. "Why won't you talk to us? You've completely shut off!"

"I don't...Dee...I'm sorry..." She was not going to cry. She was NOT. She could feel tears starting to form behind her eyes.

"Why are you doing this to us? We miss you Jenny...I miss you." Dee's voice softened as she took a thorough look at her friend. "My God, what's wrong Sunshine? You look like the dead. Have you _eaten? _Or _slept?_"

Jenny shook her head and took a shaky breath. "Not really...Dee..there's something going on. Something I can't explain. I don't know what's happening...but I keep having these dreams...someone keeps visiting me. Terrorizing me."

Dee let out a groan and dropped to the sofa. "Is it him? I swear to God, I'll kill him. I will kick his ass. He _needs_ to leave you alone. Did we all not watch him die?!"

Jenny laughed, a harsh, forced sound. "Yes. Yeah. Yeah he _died_, I guess. It's not him. It's something else. This...other Shadow Man."

"Um. What? What the hell are you talking about? _Another_ one of those?" Dee looked like she was about to punch the wall.

"Yeah. Or so he says. I don't know Dee...I'm scared. He's...he's different from...from Julian"-she barely whispered his name-"He wants to hurt me. He..hit me..."

"What?! Jenny, you said this was a dream, right? Couldn't this be just some post traumatic stress-"

"No. It's not. I don't know how to explain it, but it's real. It just feels like...like I'm somewhere else. It feels just like it did when we were in the house." Jenny didn't have to explain what that meant; anytime someone mentioned a "house" it was always the original game Julian created for them. She closed her eyes and sank to the floor. "Dee..he's evil. He is truly evil. I can feel it. I don't know what to do. What do I do? I'm scared to go to sleep, I wake up every hour from fear...I can't think straight." She was starting to not think straight at the moment; the front door looked surprisingly crooked and warped. She closed her eyes again, and tried to concentrate on breathing.

"No...honey...it can't be real. We're done with this." Dee wrapped her arms around her friend, hugging her. "Let's get you back to bed. Do you want to nap? We'll figure this all out; but right now, you need to rest. You look like the dead, kiddo."

Even though it was a joke, at that moment, Jenny did feel like she was ceasing to exist. Slowly, she was fading from this world. The colors behind her eyelids swirled through her mind, creating opaque rainbows. Nausea filled her stomach, and he breaths became more shaky. "No...I can't go to sleep...he'll find me...and then I'll really be dead." As if on cure, she let out a huge gasp, then started to choke. The air she inhaled felt liquidy and just—_wrong_.

'Jenny?" Dee said, patting her on the back. "Come on. Breathe, honey. This will be fine. You're just having a panic attack-" Yet the coughs get coming, until her throat completely closed. _I'm going to pass out_, she thought in a daze. _I'm going to pass out and I won't be able to wake up_. _I'll be trapped with him._

She could faintly hear Dee screaming as she slumped against the wall and everything faded to black.


End file.
